The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-08-11
THE POOR BOYS COLLEGE.

from a staff Correspondent of the Charleston
Nems and COusier.]: -'fJ
AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL
COLLEGE OF MISSISSIPPI, July Sit
will doubtless be a matter of much in
terest to everybody outside Of these
walls to know how a boy lives and
works at an agricultural college.
In the first place he must be fifteen
years of age, and in the next place he
must have a certain sun of money.
His tuition will be free and will be
paid for by the State, but he must pay
for his board in advance for about
three months, together with some in
cidental and necessary expenses. For
the first three months the expenses
will be about as follows: Deposit for
three months" board $40, matricula-
ton fee So, medical fee S., furniture
for his room S., books $3.50, uniform
$l7.35. Total for first three months,
$54.85.
TIE average months board for the
student is $3.50. This for nine months,
the college year, amounts to $3.50.
For the first nine months, therefore,
the total outlay would be board $751;
SO, uniform $17.35, naturalization fee
SIS, medical fee S., furniture S. and
books $3.50, making a total of $780,
35. To this must be added a small
washing bill, which is, however, a
variable quantity.
SELF-HELP IN THE
By a regulation of the College any
student is permitted, in fact compelled,
to help pay his board bill by working
in the field or garden or dairy, or
otherwise, for which work he is paid
at the rate of six cents an hour. This
labor must, however, be faithfully per-
formed.
Each student is given an opportun-
ity Of working three hours in the
afternoon of each day, and all day
Saturday, if he likes. Some of the
students have, by diligent labor in this
way, earned as much as $50 in the
nine months, which, deducted from
the nine months board bill of S67.5 so,
leaves $3.50, or an average of Sl.95
per month. 1t will be seen, therefore,
that it is possible for a student to 20
through the college on a board bill of
about So a month. Ordinarily, with
out working on Saturday, the student
can earn $25 a year. Being allowed
to work all day Saturday if he chooses,
he can increase that amount in proper
ton to the number of hours he works
on that day.
ONE OLLAR A TERM.
1t has been found that the cost of
furniture will be about $40 for each
room, which is usually divided be-
tween two students. The records
show that quite a number of the stu
dents have reduced the terms ex-
penses to 500, or about $11 a month,
which includes everything, even the
travelling expenses Of the student at
vacation times.
The report of the secretary of the
College, Nh. T. F. Watson, is now be-
ing made up for the report on the con
dltion OF the College, which is made
once every two years. This report is
being now considered by the board of
trustees, and, of course, cannot be an
tlcipated, but one of the trustees gave
me today some facts that are well
worth considering in the relation of
the students possible expenses. This
trustee said that he saw the statement
of the secretary, and that there were
given ia it statistics to show that a
number of the boys had finished their
present term at a cost of $50, others
at $40, others at $50 and others at
$50. There were at least twenty boys
that had gone through with $50, and
almost equal numbers at SO, $SOand
$50. The biennial report of Presi-
dent Lee to the Legislature in 1885
shows that in, l8S4-85 l76 students
went through the entire session on an
average of $68.33; 100 students on
an average of S53.67; SO students on
an average of $2l.56; % students on
an average of $3.50, and six students,
whose names were given, paid their
way and had balances of several dol
lars to their credit. These matters,
this trustee said, had so impressed the
board that they intended at a very
early date to publish circular letters
giving these facts and to distribute
them broadcast over the country.
THE DAILY ROUTINE.
49, 10 80. ~ - ,